Reviews are how guests choose a home and how owners choose a manager, so we take them seriously. Here's how reviews work with us, how we answer them, what people tend to mention, and how to leave one of your own.
Stays In reviews: where the 4.7 rating comes from
Our rating is 4.7 from 1,552 guest reviews on Airbnb, Booking.com and Google. It's built from every guest review across those platforms, for the homes we look after in Edinburgh and East Lothian. We don't pick the good ones, and we don't leave out the ones that stung.
Guest reviews and owner reviews are different
- Guests review a stay on the platform they booked through, usually Airbnb or Booking.com, or on Google. Those reviews are about the home, the welcome and how we handled anything that came up.
- Owners review us on Google. Those reviews are about what it's like to have us look after your home: how we communicate, how we deal with problems and whether we do what we said.
Reviews aren't the only outside view of us. We're also featured in Best in Britain's guide to Airbnb management in Edinburgh. But reviews are the one we value most, because they come from people who have actually stayed in our homes or handed theirs over to us, and they keep coming in long after any guide is published. A rating built from more than fifteen hundred reviews is one you can check for yourself.
Both kinds of review matter, and both are on this page.
How to read a rating
A single score hides a lot. When you read our reviews, or any manager's, look at three things: how recent they are, whether the same comment keeps coming up, and how the low ones were answered. A calm, specific reply to a hard review tells you more about a team than another five stars. And if someone chooses not to write a review at all, that's fine with us.
If you're an owner weighing us up, reviews are one part of the picture. Our about page introduces the team behind them, and our fees page shows exactly what management costs, so you can compare like for like.
What guests mention most in their reviews
Read enough reviews and patterns appear. The guest reviews shown on this page are a fair sample of what comes up again and again. Here's what guests tend to mention, in their own words.
Location and getting around
Guests often talk about being "very near to the heart of the city", homes being "very walkable", and being "very convenient with public transport". That reflects where many of our homes are, from the Old Town and the New Town to Newington. You can see the areas we cover on our Airbnb management page.
Clean, well-equipped homes
"Extremely clean, well equipped" and "immaculate" come up often. So do practical details: "plentiful supplies in the kitchen" and a bed that was "so comfortable". That's the result of cleaning and checking every home between stays.
Room for groups and families
Guests travelling together mention space. One golfing group liked that "each has his own room and space". Another review mentions a home "accommodating big family groups". If you're planning a group trip, our pages for golf holidays in East Lothian and accommodation near Murrayfield explain how to find the right home.
A helpful guide
Guests mention being given "a helpful guide". Clear arrival instructions and a house manual mean fewer questions and a calmer first evening.
And some guests simply say they'll be back: "we'll definitely book this apartment again". That is the review we like best.
What owners say about Stays In, and why it matters
Owner reviews tell you something guest reviews can't: what it's like to hand over your home. Read the owner reviews on this page and the same themes keep coming up.
Responsive and in touch
Owners talk about how quickly we reply: "they respond quickly and keep me informed", "extremely responsive and attentive to requests" and "professional, responsive, and always helpful". For an owner who is busy, abroad or simply doesn't want to chase, that is most of what good management feels like.
Taking care of everything
One owner wrote that "Luis and team are A+++ and take care of everything". Another described "a smooth and stress-free process". Full management covers the listing, pricing, guests, cleaning, repairs, the licence and the Visitor Levy, so owners don't have to piece it together themselves. Our page for owners sets out what's included.
Trust
"Reliable and trustworthy" is a short review, but an important one. Owners are trusting us with their home, their neighbours and their income. One owner put it simply: "Any worries or suggestions, they're on it."
What owner reviews don't tell you
Reviews can't tell you what your own home would earn, or which licence route fits it. For that, the honest answer comes from your home's numbers. Our earnings calculator gives a quick range, and a call with the team is the easiest way to ask the questions reviews don't answer.
How we respond to reviews, good and bad
We answer every review. It's part of looking after a home, not an extra. A reply tells the guest we read what they wrote, and it tells the next guest what kind of people they'll be dealing with.
When a review is good
We thank the guest and pick up on something specific they mentioned, such as the location, the bed or the walk to the Meadows. A copied-and-pasted "thanks for staying" doesn't tell anyone anything.
When a review raises a problem
- We read it properly. Often there's a fair point inside even a frustrated review.
- We check what happened. With the cleaner, the owner and our own messages with the guest.
- We reply calmly. We acknowledge the problem, say what we've done about it, and never argue with the guest in public.
- We fix the cause. A reply is only half of it. If a review mentions something in the home, we put it right for the next guest.
For owners
Reviews feed back into how the home is run. If guests mention the same thing twice, it's a sign something needs to change, whether that's a worn mattress, a confusing check-in or a missing item in the kitchen. Fixing those small things is often the quickest way to lift a rating. If you host yourself and want a second opinion on your reviews, our free listing review looks at them along with your photos, price and calendar.
Why reviews matter so much for an Edinburgh short let
For owners, reviews aren't just nice to read. They shape how a listing performs.
Reviews move a listing up the search
Guests compare homes side by side, and the rating and recent reviews are often the deciding factor. Strong reviews help a listing appear higher in search results and turn more views into bookings. In areas where many homes look similar, such as Leith or Stockbridge, reviews are often what sets one apart.
Reviews protect your price
A home with a strong record of reviews can hold its price on busy dates rather than discounting to compete. That matters most during the Fringe, Hogmanay and rugby weekends, when guests have plenty of choice.
Reviews are also about neighbours
Calm, well-briefed guests write good reviews and keep stairs quiet. ID checks, clear house rules and quiet hours from 10pm help both. Our page for neighbours explains how we keep stairs calm.
Keeping your reviews when you switch
If you already host and have reviews you've worked hard for, you'll want to keep them. If the listing is on your own account, we can usually manage it as a co-host, so your reviews stay with you. If it sits on a previous manager's account, the reviews usually stay with that account. Our page on switching manager explains what can move, and our page on hosting it yourself covers keeping your listing.
How to leave a review for Stays In
If you've stayed in one of our homes, or we look after yours, a short review really helps. It helps other guests choose, and it helps other owners decide whether we're right for them.
If you're a guest
- On the platform you booked through. Airbnb and Booking.com will invite you to review your stay after you check out. Each platform has its own window for doing so.
- On Google. Use the "Leave a Google review" button on this page. It takes about a minute.
If you're an owner
Owners review us on Google, using the same button. Say what you found useful, or what you'd want another owner to know before they choose a manager.
What makes a helpful review
- Be specific. "The bed was so comfortable" helps the next guest more than "great stay".
- Mention the area if it mattered, such as being near the Old Town or close to the tram.
- Be honest. If something wasn't right, say so, and tell us too so we can fix it.
If you'd like to find more of our pages first, our home page is the place to start, and the Stays In blog has local advice from the team.
Had a problem? Tell us before you write a review
Most problems during a stay can be put right while you're still there. A review written after check-out can't fix a cold radiator. A message on the day usually can.
During your stay
Message us. The team answers from 9am to midnight every day, and there's an emergency line 24/7 for urgent things like a lockout or no heating. Call +44 (0)131 560 6614 or message us on WhatsApp. You'll find every way to reach us on our contact page.
After your stay
If something wasn't right and you've already left, tell us anyway. We'd rather hear it from you directly, and we'll look into it properly. You're still free to write whatever review you choose. Telling us first simply gives us the chance to put it right.
For owners
If something isn't working, talk to us before it becomes a review. We would rather fix it with you. If you're with another manager and their reviews tell a different story to the one you're living, our guide Is your short-let manager working for you? is a useful checklist.
The results behind the reviews
Reviews and results tend to go together. The homes we manage all year were booked on 84% of nights, against 72% for Edinburgh short lets overall. If you'd like to see what your own home could do, get a free plan with what it could earn, the licence route and every cost.
For owners, our Edinburgh short-let blog covers the rules, pricing and seasons in plain words, starting with how much an Airbnb earns in Edinburgh.
Message us on WhatsApp on +44 7898 116933, or get in touch. We reply 9am to midnight, and the emergency line is there 24/7.